Electrolytic cell



July 21, 1931. J. N. SMITH 1,815,078

ELECTROLYTIC CELL Filed July 12, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 1 July 21, 1931. J. N. SMITH ELEGTROLYTIG CELL Filed July 12, 1928 A2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMES NORMAN' SMITH, 0F TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA ELECTROLYTIC CELL Application led J"uly 12,

This invention relates to electrolytic cells, and more particularly to cells employed in the electrolysis of Water.

The object of this invention is to provide an electrode construction which shall assure hat the electrodes shall be maintained at all times in positive and uniform electrical juxtaposition to each other and at the same time more eficiently support and make contact with a. sinusoidal, pervious diaphragm.

The electrode construction which I employ is. broadly. of the nature disclosed in U. S. lat. No. 1,620,052, to William G. Allan an-d is an improvementthereon.

My invention consists broadly in disposing` electrodes of substantially U-shaped ll'orm along the opposite walls of an electrolytie cell With their open arms projecting into the cell chamber.

My preferred arrangement is to interleave, dovetail or nest the opposed electrodes in such manner that the face of one arm of an electrode of one polarity shall be apposed closely to the face of an arm of an electrode of opposed polarity, and thence to dispose a continuous diaphragm between said apposed faces.

However. instead of employing U-shaped electrodes, I may use an arrangement some- -l what different in construction but identical in function, and that is to embed one end of the corresponding arms of said projecting electrode members in said cell walls, and thence insert the diaphragm in the manner already described.

Other features of my invention are the provision of a more efiicient form of electrode, and means comprising an auxiliary electrode disposed medially of the electrodes of like polarity for the purpose of preventing undue mingling of gas and electrolyte and to provide an additional electrolyzing area.

'.lhe features hereinabove set out are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is ay fragmentary horizontal section through an electrolytic cell;

Fig. .2 is a modilication of Fig. 1;

1928. Serial N0. 292,105.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a twocell unit;

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a modification of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a modication of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section through Fig. 5 on the line AfA;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of an improved form of electrode;

Fig. 9 is another form, and

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of my preferred electrolytic cell, being a single intermediate cell of a group.

The electrolytic cell employed for the purpose of illustration herein comprises two parallel conducting Walls 1 1 insulated from each other and of opposite polarity. Disposed conductively along both walls are sets comprising pairs of electrodes 2, 2 which may be in the form of separate units of substantially U-shaped construction, such as shown in Figs. 1 to 4,or the corresponding arms of said units may be cast o'r imbedded in said Walls in the manner shown in Figs. 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10. These electrode units are preferably in the form of a wire-mesh of resilient material, as described-hereinafter.

It will be observed that the electrodes are so arranged that each of the inwardly extending projecting arms of an electrode Q of one polarity is juxtaposed or apposed to one of the inwardly extending arms of an electrode 2 of opposite polarity and that the pervious diaphragm 15 is inserted between the apposed faces of said electrodes in such manner as to give it a sinusoidal or serpentine configuration dividing the cell into two chambers 3 and 4. The distance between the projecting arms of electrodes of like polarity is greater than the distance between juxtaposed projecting arms of electrodes of unlike polarity. As a matter of fact, the uxtaposed electrodes are brought quite close to each other so that when the diaphragm is inserted between them it will be held securely.

rlhough any of the forms of wire-mesh s contemplated for use as the electrodes, I have found the constructions shown in Figs. 8 ,and 9 to be very efficient. The former comprises a mesh consisting of closely spaced parallel wires 5 which conduct the current, and widely spaced supporting wires 6. The latter, a diagonally disposed square mesh Wire embedded in the wall, has the advantage that all, o1' almost all, ot the strands can be directly embedded in said wall, making a direct conductive connection between them, the free ends of said strands being welded as at 7 to each other.

Figs. 3, 4 and 6, illustrate a two cell unit, having outer walls 1-l of unlike polarity from a bipolar medial wall 8 to which the corresponding electrodes may be attached by means of rivets 9 or screws 10, or embedded within the walls, as the case may be.

In order to increase the efliciency ot' the cell, I may use' additional and auxiliary means, in the form of electrodes 1l which are disposed medially of each pair of electrodes of like polarity.

These auxiliary electrodes 11 serve as barriers to prevent undue mingling of the gas and electrolyte circulating adjacent the several individual and most active portions, 2-2, of the electrodes, directing the circulating electrolyte and buoyant gases in separate channels upwardly and parallel to their surfaces, to facilitate circulation and also provide additional or auxiliary electrolyzing areas.

Fig. 10 shows the complete assembly of a .single electrolytic cell embodying my improvements. The cell walls are separated by insulating blocks 12 and are held together at their ends by bolts 13, the bolts being insulated from one of the walls by the insulating bushings 14. The cell here shown is an intermediate cell in a group of cells and illustrates the arrangement of the co-operating electrodes with a sinusoidal pervious diaphragm interposed therebetween.

One of the advantages of providing the open-end construction for the inwardly extending arms of the electrodes is that the inherent resiliency of the material of which the same are constructed permits the same to be mounted in a substantially right angle relation to the walls and, when the diaphragm is inserted therebetween, the inner ends willbe forced toward each other, into the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, and will maintain a a close contact with the opposite sides of the diaphragm and be closely apposed to each other, as will be evident from the drawings. This also assists in holding the diaphragm in posit-ion and increases the eiiciency of the cell in operation, as will be understood.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with an electrolytic cell, of opposite and alternately disposed nested U-shaped electrodes, the arms extending inwardly and being open at their inner ends, and a pervious diaphragm inserted be- Lalaovs tween juxtaposed arms of electrodes of opposite polarity.

2. rlhe combination with an electrolytio cell, of oppositely disposed and inwardly extending arms forming the electrodes, a pervious diaphragm inserted between juxtaposed arms of electrodes of opposite polarity, and auxiliary electrodes disposed between the arms of the same polarity and forming barriers between said electrodes.

3. The combination with an electrolytic cell, of opposite and alternately disposed nested U-shaped electrode units with open inner ends and having the arms of adjacent units of opposite polarity in juxla-position, a pervious diaphragm inserted between juxtaposed arms of electrodes of opposite polarity, and auxiliary electrodes disposed between the arms of like polarity.

4. The combination with an electrolytic cell, of oppositely disposed, parallelly apposed separate electrode members of opposite polarity, a pervious diaphragm inserted between the faces of said apposed electrodes, and an auxiliary electrode disposed between adjacent electrodes of like polarity. l

5. The combination with an clectrolytic cell, ot' pairs of oppositely disposed resilient electrode members extending inwardly and the inner ends being open, said pairs of electrode members being arranged alternately of opposite polarity, one of each of said electrode members being parallelly apposed to an adjacent electrode of opposite polarity, and a pervious diaphragm inserted between said apposed electrodes.

6. The combination with an electrolytic cell, of pairs of oppositely disposed separate resilient electrode members, one of each of said electrode members being parallelly apposed to an adjacent electrode of opposite polarity, a pervious diaphragm inserted between said apposed electrodes, and an auxiliary electrode disposed between said electrode members of like polarity.

v7. The combination with an electrolytic cell, of oppositely disposed, parallelly apposed separate resilient electrode members ofV opposite polarity extending v inwardly from opposite cell walls and having one end of each embedded respectively in their corresponding cell walls, the inner end of each member being free, and a pervious diaphragm lnserted between the apposed faces of oppositely disposed elect-rode members.

8. The combination with an electrolytic cell, of oppositely disposed, parallelly apposed separate resilient electrode members of opposite polarity extending inwardly from opposite cell walls and one end of each em'- bedded respectively in their corresponding cell walls, the inner end of each member being free, a pervious diaphragm inserted between the apposed faces of oppositely disposed electrode members of opposite polarity, and

auriliary electrode members disposed between adjacent electrodes of like polarity.

9. In an electrolytic cell, a plurality of pairs of separate re 'ent electrode members arranged alternately and attached to cell walls of opposite polarity, extending inwardly therefrom in op osite directions and with their inner ends ee, one of each of said electrode members of each pair being parallel and apposed to an adjacent electrode member of an opposite pair, and a pervious diaphragm positioned between said apposed electrode members. I 10. In an electrolytic cell, a plurality of pairs of separate resilient electrode members arranged alternately and attached to cell walls of opposite polarity, extending inwardly therefrom in opposite directions and with their` inner ends free, one of said electrode members of each pair bein parallel and apposed to an adjacent electro e member of an opposite pair, a ervious diaphragm positioned between sai apposed electrode members of opposite polarity, and auxiliary electrodes positioned between the electode v members of the same polarity of each pair to form a barrier.

Y, Signed at Toronto, county of York, Province, of Ontario, Canada, this 9th day of July, so A. D. 1928. A.

JAMES NORMAN SMITH. 

